Senate candidate Williams campaigns on record of conservative values

Published 7:00 pm, Thursday, January 27, 2011

Confirming his announcement last week that he planned to run for the U.S. Senate seat now held by Kay Bailey Hutchison, Michael Williams officially launched his campaign Thursday.

He also confirmed he will leave the Railroad Commission on April 2. He has served on the commission for 12 years -- the equivalent of two senatorial terms, he pointed out -- and currently is chair.

"It is extremely important for the candidate to express and demonstrate that the voter is more important than the candidate," he explained. "That is why I'm leaving the commission. It's important to me to run as a citizen than to be seen as trying to hold on to power."

Speaking from Austin, he said he believes he can serve Texas and its oil and gas industry better in the U.S. Senate than remaining with the Railroad Commission, where he has served since being appointed by then-governor George W. Bush. His concern over the actions of the Obama administration and some of its agencies, particularly the Environmental Protection Agency, also played a role.

He strenuously denied speculation he is positioning himself to become the sole Railroad Commissioner should the Legislature enact reforms to the agency suggested by the Sunset Review Commission. "I have not spoken to the governor or any member of the governor's staff and no one has spoken to the governor or any of his staff on my behalf" on the subject, he said.

He explained that he came out in support of moving to one elected commissioner because he felt it was preferable to an earlier suggestion to move from three elected commissioners to five part-time advisers appointed by the governor.

As he prepares to campaign, the Midland native said he wants to remind voters of his established record of conservatism and willingness to "confront the Washington establishment." He said he feels he is the right messenger, who has the right message and the ability to incite the passion of voters. That is how some candidates who were not the mainstream candidates of the two major political parties won election back in November, he said.

He said he plans to campaign on his record of supporting the values held by most Midlanders, Texans and Americans. "It's extremely important to me and to most Americans that we have individual liberty, individual freedom, individual responsibilities and put government back in its proper place," he said, calling for cuts in government spending to "unleash the marketplace so it can create jobs and wealth."

Government, he said, should be concerned with controlling the border and energy security. It will be important for a senator from the south, and from a border state, to demonstrate how to protect the border. It's important, he said, for a senator from Texas, the nation's energy capital, to demonstrate how to safely produce energy.

"I have a vision and a record of achieving what matters to the voter," Williams said. "They want to know you'll be a voice for them and stand up against the Washington establishment. Voters want to be inspired to take that next mountain."

He is not taking votes for granted, he said, and especially not from the residents of his hometown.

"I will work extremely hard to earn the trust and the vote of Texans," he said, adding, "I hope I earn the support of Midlanders. I look forward to earning that support."